Mentholatum Sunplay UV Body Mist Sunblock : Hit or Mist?

When I headed to a sunny island holiday, I realized that I’d be out and about frolicking in the sun so I packed my sunblock arsenal, and in there, I tossed this mist spray sunblock. I’d never used a spray sunblock before so this would be interesting. I figured it would make it easier (and more fun) to re-apply my sunblock, instead of rubbing the usual creamy white lotion all over – something I tend to get lazy with.

The Mentholatum Sunplay UV Body Mist Sunblock has been around a while, and it proclaims an impossibly high SPF80. If you look at the Sunplay series of sunscreen, they all boast very impossibly high SPF numbers. I’m never quite sure if it can really go that high to be honest. I’m not good at these things. I usually stick to SPF50 and anything over that is a bonus.

Application is easy peasy. It is an aerosol can, so just spray the fine mist all over your body, ensuring you cover every inch. The directions say you can also spray it on your face, but if you plan to, please make sure you close your eyes 😛 The spray mist is clear and cooling on the skin which is really nice in the heat of the sun. But really, do I like this?

No I don’t 🙁

The product sprays out a fine cooling mist as I’ve noted, but on contact with the skin, it takes on an oily texture I absolutely dislike. It feels oily and even after you spread it, it still feels oily. I tested it on my arms and legs, and when I felt that oily texture, there was no way I was putting it near my face.

I went round spraying this mist on most of my travel party to gauge their reaction, and they all disliked the oily feel. After you spread it on your skin, the oily feel remains and gives your skin an oily sheen. We all agreed the cooling mist was nice on a hot day, but that we did not like how it felt after that.

Mentholatum Sunplay UV Body Mist sunblock ingredient list

From a practical point of view, a spray mist is perfect for topping up on your sunscreen application. Heaven knows, its easy enough to forget or to ignore reapplication once you are lounging on a sundeck or on the beach. A mist makes it fun and easy to apply. So, if the texture agrees with you, you will like this. If you dislike the texture, you won’t. I didn’t, and I don’t 🙁

Pros: Cooling fine mist, Colourless and no white cast on the skin, Easy and fun to use

Cons: Oily feel on the skin

This isn’t the first mist spray sunblock there is out there and if there’s one thing I learnt from using this product is that a spray on sunblock is great when you travel! Its quick and easy to use and you don’t get your hands sticky from applying creams and lotions. Also, a spray covers a larger area and possibly gets into corners you might otherwise miss. So I will be keeping an eye out for other spray on sunblocks for reapplication purposes 🙂

Have you tried this product and do you like it? How about spray on sunscreens or sunblocks? Have you tried one you like?

Paris B

The Mentholatum Sunplay UV Body Mist Sunblock SPF80 PA++ retails at RM45.90/150ml at most leading pharmacies

I swear by only two brands of sunscreen: Banana Boat and Coppertone. Both companies make solid cream-based sunscreens for both face and body (even sensitive skinned folk have a range with these two brands, love it!), but Coppertone has a great spray-on range that I found incredibly lightweight and easy to use, but not cheap.ksuan recently blogged…Review- Chanel Rouge Coco Shine Lipstick in 62 Monte Carlo

I cut my sunscreen teeth on Coppertone! 😀 Way back in the day, that’s all there was available. I don’t use it anymore because their ingredients don’t agree with me. I prefer something with titanium dioxide in it and no avobenzone 🙂

Currently I’m using biore UV Perfect face milk spf50, and I looooove it and its cheap :D.
I never tried the spray coz im affraid it will not cover the whole area of my skin, prefer dry cream… wanna try neutrogena dry-touch spf 50 for my body.

I have a bad luck with sunplay… years ago, and keep trying few other brand from rm30-140.
I alway very lazy to put sunscreen on my face bcoz I dont like the feeling of it tried like other 3-4 brands until I found this one and I <3 it. 😀 I slap thick sunscreen on my face i like how it feels.

I recently got the Clearwater SPF50 one in the same brand. Haven’t tried it yet, but I hope I’m not allergic to it and it’s not oily. I’ve only cautiously started using SPF15 moisturiser on the face. I hope to venture into SPF50 soon and hope it will work out.

I have used spray on sunscreens before (Neutrogena, Banana Boat and Coppertone) and all of them leave these oily sheen on my body. I know some people might like the look of it but I, being as tan as I am, for one do not want to look like a goreng pisang when I am at the beach. 🙂

I am currently using La Roche Posay’s Anthelios 45 Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid for face and also the one from the same line for my body. The one’s I bought are formulated for normal/combination screen so it is just perfect for me as it dries down to a matte finish. I highly do recommend it. 🙂

That’s what I’m afraid of. That oily sheen which really, isn’t very flattering. In my case, I look like an undercooked goreng pisang 😛 I’ve always liked La Roche Posay Anthelios sunscreens! 😀 We don’t get them here yet so I get them from Singapore 😀

the ingredients’ are just crap, to start with alcohol number 1? wtf, so drying. second, where are the good sunscreen ingredients? this is useless! you will burn and age with this thing on. and spf80 but only pa++? this is just ridiculous. i recently got their skin aqua uv moisture gel spf27 to keep on my desk and apply after hand cream to get my spf, but regretting the buy, i will use it up though, but not purchasing anything from mentholatum ever again.

Interestingly, it wasn’t drying but it was “oily”. I used this on top of the Cancer Council one but like you, I wasn’t convinced by the ingredient list. Japanese sunscreens really don’t do it for me 🙁 I’ve never tried one I’d liked, whether from high end or drugstore 🙁

I have read your entire review and glad to find the summary “Cooling fine mist, Colourless and no white cast on the skin, Easy and fun to use”.

However, I think you’ve missed out the greatest info that is “Is this Sunplay SPF80 sunscreen effective to block out the UV ray?” and “Is your skin tone preserved from darkening from the sunny island outdoor activity”?

My answer to whether it is effective is “I don’t know. There are too many chemicals in there that I don’t recognize and too few blockers that I do” and my answer to whether my skintone is preserved from turning darker under the sun is “It did not but that’s because I was using the Cancer Council sunscreen as the first buffer which has a very high zinc oxide content, and this spray just for fun, and I don’t sit in the sun very much” I won’t be using this one again because I just don’t like it at all 🙂

I totally agree with you!! Its really oily but I think I’m gonna continue using it coz its colourless and easy to apply.. I’m using this on my body. For face, I get great, great results with Biore Perfect Face Milk – it clears up my acne, excellent oil control and makes my face oh so smooth (my husband agrees with this)

I used this before when I went to Perhentian two weeks ago, but it doesn’t really work. Its not really effective in blocking out UV rays. I still came back with a dry, tanned skin, which sorta forces me to invest in whitening products now.

Hey parisb I need help .. I’m going of for holiday to sunny island tomorrow then I realize I lose my SPF .. Any suggestion on which brand which is high in SPF n non greasy .. I gotta buy it tonigt d lol .. Thanks a millionth !